There are endless ways to work your abs, but lower abs workouts and exercises are usually the hardest to come by. The upper abs and obliques tend to get all the love from many popular exercises, while the lower abs are notoriously harder to target.

For the record, we technically don't have separate "upper abs" and "lower abs." When people refer to either, they're actually talking about just different areas of the rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs vertically from your sternum to your pelvis on each side of your abdomen. It's what you think of when you picture six-pack abs. But it is possible to primarily activate one part of the rectus abdominis—say, the lower part—while the upper section mostly chills out. The movement you're doing will determine which portion of the muscle (and the rest of your core, for that matter) are involved and whether you're getting more of a lower abs workout or upper abs workout.

It's important to work all of your core muscles, including targeting the lower section of the rectus abdominis. If one portion of your core is weak, this can cause other areas to become overactive as they try take on more of the work, Jason Loebig, an NASM-certified personal trainer and the founder of Live Better, tells SELF. Your hips and lower back are particularly vulnerable to taking over, and ultimately becoming strained, especially if you spend a good part of your sitting down.

"As a result of sitting with poor posture for lengthy periods of time, the hip flexors and lower back may suffer,” says Loebig. “A strong core, specifically the ability to maintain a small amount of tension in the abs while sitting, helps to relieve tight hips and lower back pain by keeping the spine and pelvis in the correct posture position,” he says. So, even if you’ve got strong upper abs and obliques, strengthening your lower abs is important for making sure your core is putting in all the work it should.

To get familiar with where your lower abs are and how to engage them (along with the rest of your core, Loebig recommends a simple breathing exercise. "Start lying down on your back and take some deep breaths through the belly. If you put your right hand on your chest and your left hand on your belly, your left hand should be rising and falling. Each time you exhale, you want to engage your abs like you're going to take a punch to the gut."

This starts to warm up your core, so you can bring on the real work, no matter what type of abs exercises you're doing. Here are some of the best lower abs exercises to get your whole core working more efficiently. Add a couple into your regular workout, or string four to five together to create your own custom lower abs workout.

Demoing the move below are Cookie Janee, a background investigator and security forces specialist in the Air Force Reserve; Amanda Wheeler, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and co-founder of Formation Strength, an online women’s training group that serves the LGBTQ community and allies; and Crystal Williams, a group fitness instructor and trainer who teaches at residential and commercial gyms across New York City.

Dead Bug

Lie face up with your arms extended toward the ceiling and your legs in a tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). This is starting position.

Slowly extend your right leg out straight, while simultaneously dropping your left arm overhead. Keep both a few inches from the ground. Squeeze your butt and keep your core engaged the entire time, lower back pressed into the floor.

Mountain Climber

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged.

Engage your core and draw your right knee to your chest.

Return to starting position and immediately draw your left knee to your chest.

Continue to alternate, moving quickly.

Make sure to keep your core engaged and back flat throughout. If you have to slow down to maintain form, that's fine.

Scissor Switch

Lie faceup with your legs straight and arms extended overhead.

Extend your right leg up so that it's perpendicular to the floor. Bring your hands behind your right leg, pulling it in toward your face, and curl your shoulder blades off the floor. Lift your left leg off the floor a few inches.

Switch legs, lowering your right leg so that it hovers a few inches above the floor and pulling your left leg in toward you.

Plank Hop

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, feet together, and core engaged. This is starting position.

Engage your abs and squeeze your quads to keep your legs together as you jump your feet forward and to the right, bringing your knees toward your right elbow.

Jump your feet back to start, and then jump your feet forward and to the left, bringing your knees toward your left elbow.

Jump your feet back together. This is 1 rep.

Continue alternating sides. Start with a slow pace and focus on form. You can speed up the jumps as you get more comfortable with the movement.

Reverse Crunch

Lie faceup with your legs in tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). Place your hands behind your head, elbows bent and pointing out to the sides (as pictured), or rest your arms on the floor by the sides of your body for stability. Use your abs to curl your shoulders off the floor. This is the starting position.

Mountain Climber Twist

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged.

Engage your core and draw your right knee to your left elbow.

Return to starting position and immediately draw your left knee to your right elbow.

Continue to alternate, moving quickly.

Make sure to keep your core engaged and back flat throughout. If you have to slow down to maintain form, that's fine.

Glider Mountain Climber

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged. Place your toes on a set of gliders or two towels. This is starting position.

Engage your core and dig your right foot into the floor as you slide it in and bring your right knee to your chest.

Slide your foot back to return to starting position and immediately slide your left foot in to bring your left knee to your chest.

Continue to alternate, moving quickly.

Make sure to keep your core engaged and back flat throughout. If you have to slow down to maintain form, that's fine.

Body Saw

Put your toes on a set of gliders or towels and then get into a forearm plank with your forearms on the floor, elbows directly underneath your shoulders, hands facing forward so that your arms are parallel, and legs extended behind you. Tuck your tailbone and engage your core, butt, and quads. This is starting position.

Slowly push with your forearms and elbows to slide the gliders or towels back toward the wall behind you. Move as far as you can without losing core engagement. Don't let your hips sag.

Slowly pull with your arms and elbows to return to the starting position. This is 1 rep.

Bicycle Crunch

Lie faceup with your legs in tabletop position (knees bent 90 degrees and stacked over your hips). Place your hands behind your head, elbows bent and pointing out to the sides. Use your abs to curl your shoulders off the floor. This is the starting position.

Twist to bring your right elbow to your left knee, while simultaneously straightening your right leg.

Then, twist to bring your left elbow to your right knee, simultaneously straightening your left leg. This is 1 rep.

Continue alternating sides. Go at a slow and steady pace so that you can really twist and feel your abs working.

Glider Plank to Pike

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged. Place your toes on a set of gliders or two towels. This is the starting position.

Engage your core and dig your feet into the floor as you slide both feet in toward your hands. As you do this, your butt will pike up toward the ceiling. Try to keep your legs as straight as you can.

Pause for a second at the top, and then slowly slide your feet back out to starting position. That's 1 rep.

Leg Lift

Lie faceup with your legs extended and your arms on the floor by your sides. If your lower back needs some extra support, you can place your hands right underneath your butt on each side. This is the starting position.

Slowly lift your legs up and toward your face, keeping them together and stopping when they are about vertical.

Then, slowly lower them back down to the ground. Be sure to keep your back flat on the floor. If you're having trouble with that or feel tension in your lower back, don't lower your legs as far down.

Glider Plank to Pike to Knee Tuck

Start in high plank, with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart (or wider if that's how you usually do push-ups), shoulders stacked above your wrists, legs extended, and core engaged. Place your toes on a set of gliders or two towels. This is the starting position.

Engage your core and dig your feet into the floor as you slide both feet in toward your hands. As you do this, your butt will pike up toward the ceiling. Try to keep your legs as straight as you can.

Pause for a second at the top, and then slowly slide your feet back out to starting position.

Next, dig into the gliders, but this time bend your knees and pull them in toward your chest to do a knee tuck.

Pause for a second, and then slowly slide your feet back out to starting position. That's 1 rep.

Down Dog Abs

Start in Downward Facing Dog, with your hands shoulder-width apart, butt lifted back and toward the ceiling, legs straight, arms extended, back flat, and your head in between your arms. Lift your right leg into the air to get into Down Dog Split (Three-Legged Down Dog).

Bend your right knee and bring in toward your right elbow, moving your torso into a plank position as you do. Pause, then extend your right leg back to Down Dog Split.

Next, bring your right knee under and across your torso toward your left elbow. Pause, then extend your right leg back to Down Dog Split. That's 1 rep.

Do for a set amount of reps on one leg, and then repeat on the other leg.

Leg Lift With Hip Tip

Lie faceup with your legs extended and your arms on the floor by your sides. If your lower back needs some extra support, you can place your hands right underneath your butt on each side. This is the starting position.

Slowly lift your legs up and toward your face, keeping them together and stopping when they are about vertical.

At the top, tip your hips up (toward your stomach) just an inch or two. Your butt will lift off the floor a bit. Bring your hips back down to the floor.

Then, slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position. Be sure to keep your back flat on the floor. If you're having trouble with that or feel tension in your lower back, don't lower your legs all the way to the floor. That's 1 rep.